Council News

Charleston AWQ Team Places in Top 15 in Country

In June, WACC presented a $1,000 check to the Academic Magnet High School for their winning AWQ team, the "M.A.D. Lads." Pictured (left to right) are David Neff, WACC Chair of Education & Outreach; Colin George; Chet Rothman, WACC member; Kabir Zaman; and Andrew Rusciolelli, Academic Magnet HS teacher-coach.

The team of two seniors and two juniors from Academic Magnet won the local AWQ competition among high schools on March 2 at Charleston Southern University to earn their place to compete in the national AWQ in Washington, DC, on April 20. "M.A.D. Lads" Colin George, Finn Hayes, Henry Jones, and Kabir Zaman spent the last school year becoming experts on global topics for the AWQ competition. The team tied for 14th out of 37 winning teams from major cities around the country. 

The students attended a pre-competition reception, held this year in the National Museum of American Diplomacy, where they met fellow competitors from across the United States. They also met staff members from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and learned about the organization's mission to promote peace around the world. The students were able to offer suggestions on how to increase the efficacy of USIP’s education outreach programs. In line with some of the required sources for the competition, there was a greater focus on implementing projects to help those in the Global South and Africa, specifically, due to the dynamic population shifts occurring today that are creating political instability in that region.

While the AWQ competition was the purpose of the trip, the group had time to explore the Nation’s Capital. They walked through Georgetown and the National Mall, stopping to learn about the monuments and embassies they encountered along the way. Following the competition on April 20, they were able to attend a Washington Nationals baseball game before returning to Charleston. 

Senior Colin George noted his greater appreciation for a variety of global economic, social, and cultural topics during the “many late nights studying” the 10 categories that the AWQ tests. Fellow senior Kabir Zaman sums up the positive effects of this program: Thanks to the World Affairs Council, through Academic WorldQuest, I have made lifelong friends and uncovered the true spirit of competition. The mechanics of the competition necessitate splitting up topics and thus, a large degree of trust between teammates, as no one person can perform well alone. This is the first step to building valuable teamwork skills. This competition has aided young students such as myself in exploring the world around them while also exploring their own capabilities... I hope that many more students are able to participate in this wonderful program in the future, as the experiences, skills, knowledge, and friends gained from AWQ stick with one for life.